Melita Hofmann

Melita Hofmann was an artist and documentarian active around 1935, associated primarily with the comprehensive Index of American Design (IAD). The IAD was a seminal Federal Art Project established during the New Deal era to create a detailed pictorial survey of traditional American decorative and folk arts. Hofmann’s involvement centered on illustrating specific artifacts, thereby helping to preserve a visual record of historical material culture.

Hofmann is represented by 15 documented works held in museum collections, confirming her significant contribution to the project’s scope. These works often take the form of meticulous renderings of craft and apparel, emphasizing texture and design. Specific documented titles include illustrations of Beaded Moccasin, Beadwork Coat, Bone and Beadwork, and a Bonnet.

The repository for Melita Hofmann’s documented illustrations is the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., establishing the institutional significance of these records. Today, many of these high-quality prints are considered public domain, making them widely accessible for scholarly research and design inspiration. Researchers frequently seek out Melita Hofmann prints as downloadable artwork documenting early American craft.